New AI Product: Rabbit R1 - Revolution or Hype?

The year starts off strong in the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Recently, at the CES, a new product that has caught the public’s attention was introduced. It’s the Rabbit R1, a small device that bills itself as our “pocket AI”.

First Impressions

The revolutionary operating system, Rabbit OS, promises an inference speed that surpasses what we’re used to with ChatGPT. However, after watching the keynote, I have a clear opinion: this year begins with a lot of hype around AI.

Rabbit R1 is not the only “powered by AI” device presented, but it is undoubtedly the one that has made the most impact. Its price, $199, makes it an attractive option for many.

Features and Capabilities

One of the most outstanding features of the Rabbit R1 is its learning capability. The device can learn routines through video recordings, although personally, I’m quite skeptical about this.

User Experience and Design

My reservations focus on its user experience (UX). Is it really practical to take out the device and talk to it in the middle of the office or the street without feeling a bit silly? It reminds me of what happened with Google Glass. Nonetheless, I see great potential in the format of the device, and I believe Meta has the opportunity to release a similar system that works on their Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses.

Battery and Storage

Another aspect I consider weak is the battery. They claim it lasts a full day, but in my opinion, that’s not enough. Also, even though the device is pocket-sized, where do you keep it? Rabbit insists it’s not meant to replace the smartphone, so you’ll need to find a spot for it. Perhaps a messenger bag would be a good option.

Conclusion

In summary, although Rabbit R1 promises a lot, I think it’s a product that is not very usable and that simply kicks off the race for AI hype. Despite my criticisms, I’ve made a pre-order to test it myself and see how much of the hype is real.